The Yankees had a surprisingly magical 2017 season with numerous high quality and breakout performances; however, there were a few players whose production the club hopes is not duplicated in 2018.

Dellin Betances

Betances has never been the model of command on the mound. His inability to control his large frame forced the Yankees to convert him to a reliever in the minors as a last-ditch effort to squeeze value out of a highly touted prospect.

Betances found his niche, and coming off his third All-Star season, he was off to a solid all-around start in 2017. However, the walks were a problem -- a much bigger one compared to years' past, even when the end results were positive.

He had been able to offset the walks with tons of strikeouts, and he generated those at an exceptional pace in 2017, striking out 15.1 batters per nine innings (second-best of his four big league seasons). However, Betances' walk rate was an astronomical 6.6 batters per nine innings, something that is simply unacceptable as a setup man and difficult to overcome.

Betances was reduced to a non-factor in September and into the postseason because he simply couldn't sync his mechanics. Betances reportedly lost 16 pounds in the offseason in an effort to aid mechanical issues, which creep up for extended periods at least once per season. Betances and Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild have to make a concerted effort to fine tune Betances' mechanics on a daily basis before he goes off the rails, not afterward.

The argument could be made that the Yankees have enough depth in the bullpen to sustain Betances' meltdowns and the potential he fails to regain his form for an extended period. However, with a rotation that does not work deep into games as a rule outside of Luis Severino, the health and strength of the bullpen is a major key to the club's success. If one of the relievers is unable to hold up his end, it will place undue pressure on the rest of the crew.

Aroldis Chapman

After the Yankees signed Chapman to a five-year, $86 million contract last winter, the last thing they or he expected was the worst season since he was a 23-year-old rookie set-up man.

Chapman jumped out to a fine start and then suffered a shoulder injury that kept him out of action for over one month. He was effective when he returned, but was not as dominant as in year's past. Once August came around, Chapman was downright awful.

In eight innings across eight August appearances, Chapman allowed eight earned runs, while allowing a .961 OPS. Chapman produced just a 9.0 K/9 strikeout rate and a dismal 6.8 walk rate, prompting his removal from the closer's role for a period of time.

After working with Rothschild on his fastball grip, Chapman was able to regain his form and sailed through September. Chapman was as dominant as he had been at any point in pinstripes, striking out 17 batters and walking just two in 12 scoreless innings (11 appearances).

It seems consistency was at the heart of the problem for Chapman. In my opinion, Chapman's inconsistencies were linked to hesitation to mix his off-speed pitches in with his high-octane fastball. Chapman was also a victim of a flat fastball, one that was grabbing too much of the strike zone, making it very hittable despite high velocity.

As with Betances, the Yankees could turn to the deep bullpen if Chapman's inconsistencies resurface. David Robertson certainly has the ability to fill in for Chapman should the closer become ineffective.

That said, Chapman is being paid closer money and expected to handle the role. If Chapman is on his game, he is still among the most dominant relievers in the game, and his pitching the ninth inning fits the mold of the entire relief crew. The Yankees would prefer to allow Robertson, Tommy Kahnle and Chad Green to navigate lengthier appearances as fireman types while handing clean ninth innings over to Chapman -- something he thrives on -- as often as possible.

Austin Romine

Sure, Greg Bird could have also fit in this space, but I feel that much of his issues in the first month of the 2017 season had to do with the ankle injury that ended up costing him most of the season.

Instead, I turn to Romine, whom the Yankees regard as a fine backup catcher. Unfortunately, it should be difficult for anyone to claim Romine was a positive contributor in 2017.

No one expects Romine to be an offensive stalwart (he owns a career 54 OPS+ and generated a 49 OPS+ in 252 plate appearances last season), meaning he needs to be that much more productive behind the plate. In 2017, Romine's defense was as detrimental to the club as his empty offensive line.

Romine turned in a minus-3 mark in defensive runs saved in 517 2/3 innings (67 games, 58 starts) behind the plate. Romine threw out just three base runners in 29 stolen base chances, which equates to a 10 percent rate with the league average being 27 percent. Finally, according to StatCorner, Romine was not a good pitch framer costing minus-2.4 runs in 2017. A backup catcher has to be strong on one side of the ball or the other. Romine has never been a strong hitter, so he'll have to turn in a much better defensive job in 2018.

Why is Romine so important?

The Yankees need starting catcher Gary Sanchez to be healthy and strong for the entire season. Sanchez will require his normal days off and there is always the chance the young star will get banged up and spend time on the shelf whether that's for a few days or a 10-day stint on the disabled list. When Sanchez is not behind the plate, the Yankees can handle the offensive side. However, Romine has to provide some sort of value to the team and it's on defense that he has the best chance to do so.

Bird, Sanchez go deep as Yankees beat Marlins, 8-5

Mar 18 | 4:03PM

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Mar 18, 2018; Tampa, FL, USA;New York Yankees first baseman Greg Bird (33) is congratulated by left fielder Giancarlo Stanton (27) as he hits a 2-run home run during the first inning against the Miami Marlins at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports (Kim Klement)

Luis Severino allowed three runs across five innings, Greg Bird and Gary Sanchez homered, and the Yankees beat the Marlins, 8-5, on Sunday afternoon at George Steinbrenner Field >> Box score

Yankees option INF Miguel Andujar, reassign OF Estevan Florial

Mar 18 | 12:43PM

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Mar 1, 2018; Clearwater, FL, USA; New York Yankees third baseman Miguel Andujar (67) watches his second home run of the game against the Philadelphia Phillies during the third inning at Spectrum Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports (Kim Klement)

The Yankees optioned INF Miguel Andújar to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and reassigned OF Estevan Florial to minor league spring training, the team announced on Sunday.

Things to know about Saturday's game

Luis Severino will start Opening Day; Boone says 'it's his time'

Mar 17 | 2:00PM

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New York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Severino reacts during the first inning against the Minnesota Twins in the 2017 American League wild-card game at Yankee Stadium. (Brad Penner/USA Today Sports Images)

Luis Severino will be the Yankees' Opening Day starter, manager Aaron Boone announced. The Yankees open the season in Toronto against the Blue Jays on March 29th at 3:30 p.m.

Severino finished third in AL Cy Young voting last year after going 14-6 with a 2.98 ERA and 230 K in 193.1 IP. The young pitcher exceeded all expectations and was one of the reasons the team was ahead of schedule in its rebuild.

"We feel like it's his time for it," Boone said, via Mike Mazzeo of NY Daily News. "With what he was able to do last year, we feel like he's in a really good place now. We just felt like now is the time for him to take on that role and we think he's ready for it. I'm looking forward to seeing him grow in his role as one of the aces of this staff."

The Yankees entered spring camp with at least 80 percent of the rotation set in stone with the fifth piece fairly certain. Once Yankees skipper Aaron Boone wasted no time in naming Jordan Montgomery his fifth starter, it became apparent the Yankees knew all along they would begin the season with the same starting five they ended 2017.

The question becomes: Were the Yankees wise to abstain from what became a severely inexpensive pitching market for proven middle of the rotation starters? For example, Lance Lynn signed for just one year at $12 million, while Alex Cobb remains unsigned.

The Yankees have recently been reported to be both not interested and interested in Cobb, so who knows what's going on there? At the beginning of the offseason, I was of the mindset that it was OK to avoid spending big money on either pitcher, but since the market came down to one-year deals, it forces revisiting.

According to Davidoff, Walker's representatives initially rejected the offer before trying to accept it at a later date -- which the Mets did not go for.

"Yeah, but that wasn't on me," Walker said about leaving $42 million on the table. "I accepted that deal and it was not accepted from the other side. Regardless of any situations in the past, I can't let any of this stuff affect me moving forward. This is too good of a team here. This is too good of a situation."

Even though the 2018 season is still two weeks away, Yankees slugger Aaron Judge is already extolling the virtues of playing in the Bronx to AL East rival Manny Machado of the Baltimore Orioles. Unfortunately for the reigning American League Rookie of the Year, Major League Baseball was not quite as amused.

"We have been in contact with the Yankees," MLB told the Daily News. "They communicated to us that Mr. Judge's off the cuff comments were not appropriate and not authorized by the club. They will speak to him to make sure that this does not happen again."

The Yankees have reportedly expressed interest in free agent RHP Alex Cobb, formerly of the Rays, reports Newsday. With starting pitchers Jake Arrieta and Lance Lynn now off the market, the 30-year-old Cobb is the best remaining option who has yet to sign.

Two potential obstacles could get in the way of a deal from the Yankees' perspective. New York is adamant about staying under the luxury-tax threshold, so as in the case of the recently-signed Neil Walker, the price would have to be right. Cobb also rejected the Rays' $17.4 million qualifying offer, meaning whichever team signs him will forfeit at least one draft pick.

The Yankees' rotation currently includes RHPs Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka and Sonny Gray and LHPs CC Sabathia and Jordan Montgomery.

Yankees release 1B Adam Lind from minor league deal

Mar 14 | 12:06PM

The Yankees have released 1B/OF Adam Lind from his minor league deal, the team announced Wednesday.

Lind had two out-clauses in his contract -- one if he was not on the major league roster by March 22 and another if he was not on the roster by June 1. He would've earned a base salary of $2 million if he was on the major league roster.

He hit .303/.362/.513 with 14 home runs and 59 RBI in 116 games with the Nationals last season -- his fourth team in as many years.

Gregorius homers in Yankees' tie to Tigers, 2-2, at home

Mar 13 | 4:00PM

Didi Gregorius belted his third homer of the spring as the Yankees tied the Tigers, 2-2, on Tuesday.>> Box score

Things to know about Monday's game

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Judge agrees to one-year, $622,300 deal with Yankees

Mar 13 | 12:41PM

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New York Yankees' Aaron Judge waits to hit during batting practice before a baseball spring exhibition game. (AP)

NEW YORK -- AL Rookie of the Year Aaron Judge will earn $622,300 in the major leagues as part of his one-year contract with the New York Yankees.

Judge, who led the AL with 52 home runs, is not eligible for salary arbitration until after the 2019 season. He agreed to a split contract in which his salary would drop to $272,250 in the unlikely event he is sent back to the minors.

New York uses a scale based on service time for its players not eligible for arbitration.

Walker signing doesn't mean Yankees gave up on young talent

Fans in love with the Yankees' youth movement may have felt a bit of a gut punch Monday when the team announced a one-year agreement worth $4 million, plus incentives, for 32-year-old infielder Neil Walker.

Walker may well take over the second base role that has been up for grabs this spring, though Brian Cashman stated Monday night that the veteran would need to take hold of the role and won't be simply handed it considering there is just over two weeks left before breaking camp.

Neil Walker signing solidifies Yankees infield

Mar 12 | 4:00PM

The Yankees added yet another infielder to their competition at spring training, signing veteran 2B Neil Walker, the team announced Monday night.

Walker will earn $4 million in base salary with $125,000 in incentives for reaching 425, 450, 475 and 500 plate appearances, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.

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Despite homer, Judge still a 'work in progress' as Opening Day nears

Mar 11 | 6:12PM

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New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge breaks his bat against the Miami Marlins during a spring training game at Roger Dean Stadium. (Steve Mitchell/USA TODAY Sports)

After hitting his first home run of the spring, Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge said he feels he is still a "work in progress" with Opening Day two and a half weeks away.

"Just glad I felt good in the box,'' Judge said after Sunday's 7-5 loss to the Marlins, according to the Bergen Record's Pete Caldera. "I was swinging at the right pitches, especially with a guy on the mound who gets it up to probably 100 (mph). Just make sure I stayed disciplined and stay in my zone.''

The Marlins host the Yankees at Roger Dean Stadium on Sunday at 1:05 p.m.

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WATCH: Giancarlo Stanton belts first Yankees homer

Mar 11 | 9:29AM

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Mar 10, 2018; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Giancarlo Stanton (27) rounds the bases after hitting a 2 run home run during the fifth inning against the New York Mets at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports (Reinhold Matay)

The first one is out of the way.

Giancarlo Stanton finally belted his much-anticipated first homerun as a Yankee, and it was a deep blast to right-center field off Mets hurler, Matt Harvey, on Saturday.

Yankees OF Giancarlo Stanton broke out in a big way in 2017, hitting 59 home runs with the Marlins, but the slugger's journey to becoming one of the league's most feared hitters came with trial and error.

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Yankees beat Mets 10-3 behind Stanton homer

Mar 10 | 4:30PM

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(Kim Klement)

Giancarlo Stanton homered while Aaron Judge and Brett Gardner each had multiple hits as the Yankees tagged Matt Harvey for five runs en route to a 10-3 win.

When will the Yankees cut ties with Jacoby Ellsbury?

When the Yankees made the knee-jerk reaction to sign Jacoby Ellsbury following the departure of Robinson Cano, there were plenty in the industry that suggested the contract wouldn't age well. They were right, except even they might not have believed it would happen well before the midpoint of the pact.

Baseball organizations make long-term deals with the understanding that they should be rewarded with upfront production, maximizing value early in the contract, all the while being ready to concede that the final year or two of the deal will result in below-average production. The Yankees never believed Ellsbury would have one solid season in New York before completely falling apart, but should they have?

Ticket broker suing Yankees for $1 million

Mar 7 | 8:45PM

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Sep 11, 2016; Bronx, NY, USA; A general view during the national anthem prior to the game between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports (Andy Marlin)

Lawyers who representing ASC claim the Yankees revoked te 52 season tickets because of the broker's intention to resell them. ASC purchased the tickets for $440,885 in November but claim they were told last month via email by the Yankees the tickets were being taken back and their money refunded.

In the email, the club explained that ASC's "buying behavior does not fit [the Yankees] criteria."

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Loud Mouths: Should Judge lead off against lefties?

Mar 7 | 7:31PM

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Is Judge a leadoff hitter?00:03:57

The Loud Mouths discuss the possibility of the Yankees placing Aaron Judge in the leadoff spot against left-handed pitchers this season.

The Loud Mouths discuss the possibility of the Yankees placing Aaron Judge in the leadoff spot against left-handed pitchers this season.

"I think Sanchy's probably the best hitter in the lineup, you don't talk about him at all," Sabathia said. "He has power to all fields. He reminds me of a young Manny Ramirez. That's enough said right there."

Sanchez, 25, hit .278/.345/.531 with 33 homers and 90 RBIs despite missing virtually the entire month of April and the beginning of May with a strained right biceps.